


Strangely Similar

by elusiverose



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, F/F, F/M, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, POV Third Person, Post-Canon, Soft Hordak (She-Ra), Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:07:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25777123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elusiverose/pseuds/elusiverose
Summary: Catra apologizes to Hordak for everything she did, and surprisingly for her, he does too. Through their conversation, they find out they have a lot more in common than they expected, starting with that person who helps them with everything and makes them feel loved and comprehended: Adora for Catra, and Entrapta for Hordak.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 84





	Strangely Similar

**Author's Note:**

> first she-ra fic!!! i love this show so much i have a lot of fic ideas.............  
> adora and entrapta are my faves so i wanted to write catra and hordak talking about how much they love their partners among other things, so you can say this is very self-indulgent uwu any positive feedback is appreciated!  
> also like in many other fics wrong hordak is named kadroh  
> note: english isn’t my first language  
> disclaimer: i don’t own she-ra and the princesses of power

Catra didn’t find easy saying sorry to everyone she had hurt. Most people forgave her and gave her the chance to prove her worth, but others – like Mermista – didn’t want to be around her at first. Catra understood, but that didn’t mean she felt horribly guilty – which she was, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t allowed to feel resentment for what she did. Adora was by her side at all times – usually Glimmer and Bow were too, helping her to deal with everything and showing her how to be a good friend. Not surprisingly, Perfuma and Scorpia did also take part in it.

Hordak was going through a very similar situation as Catra’s. Though he found incredibly the apologizing and prove his worth part incredibly harder that her. Entrapta was by his side at all times, assuring him that he will always have the company and comfort of his lab partner. At first, he wasn’t able to be anything but grumpy towards anyone who wasn’t Entrapta, but with time, he was able to be at least nice. He started with Kadroh, then with Adora – to whom he was grateful for erasing Horde Prime, and then Scorpia. Always encouraged by Entrapta.

❖

“Come on.” Adora softly pushed Catra towards the lab’s door. “You know you have to do this.”

“But why do I have to apologize to _Hordak_? As if he hadn’t treated me badly.”

“He had, but you weren’t the best person either and lied to him about Entrapta. And he was actually sort of nice the last time I spoke to him.”

“But you’re not me! Besides Entrapta was the one sent to Beast Island, not him! And I already apologized to her.”

“Can you just not complain anytime you have to apologize to someone?”

“If complaining means I get to see you all flustered like this, then I have some bad news for you.”

Adora giggled. “I could actually get used to you being this cheesy.”

“That wasn’t cheesy you idiot!”

“Whatever you say.” Adora then held took Catra’s hands in hers and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You can do it, okay?”

“I know dummy.” Now blushing, Catra buried her head in Adora’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

After giving Catra a quick but sweet kiss on the lips, Adora knocked at the lab’s door. It opened almost instantly. “Hello? Entrapta?”

“She’s probably in the depths of here working on some scientific weird stuff.”

“That’s how she is.” Adora shrugged her shoulders. “Entrapta?”

“Brothers!” The kind voice of Kadroh was easy to recognize.

“Adora! Catra!” Entrapta came from behind him. “What brings you here?”

“Hey Geek Princess, Kadroh.” Catra said while Adora just wavered his hand.

“I hope you don’t mind but we actually came to see Hordak. Is he here?” Adora asked.

“He is! Gimme a minute, I’ll go and bring him.” Wrong Hordak winked at them and went after Entrapta, seeming incredibly energetic and cheerful.

“You got that _Geek Princess_ thing from Mermista, didn’t you?” Adora asked once they were alone again.

“It sounds cooler when I say it.” Catra smirked while crossing her arms.

“There he is!” Entrapta was back, Hordak by her side this time.

“Catra, Adora.” Catra noticed his voice didn’t sound so threatening anymore. It was still deep, but still it sounded more calmed and controlled. He also had got rid of the habit of calling Catra _Force Captain_. “It seems you wanted to speak with me.”

“Hu-huh.” Adora slightly hit Catra’s arm with her elbow.

“Yes.” Catra started a bit nervously. “I’m the one who wants to talk. Could we… go for a walk? I’d like to discuss something privately.”

Hordak seemed a bit uncertain and raised one of his eyebrows in curiosity, surprising Adora and Catra. He looked almost innocent. He then looked at Entrapta who nodded and gave him thumbs up with a smile. “I do not see why I should say no.”

“Don’t worry Entrapta, you’ll have him back soon.” Adora assured.

“It’s okay, he needed a break from the experiments anyways. Kadroh, you’ll be taking his place for a little while, now come on let’s not keep Emily waiting!”

“I’ll wait for you inside the palace.” Adora kissed Catra’s cheek and waved her goodbye, exiting from the lab.

“I’ll wait for you here, have fun Hordak!” Entrapta said going inside the lab again.

❖

Since Glimmer gave Entrapta the permission to install the lab near the castle in Bright Moon, Hordak and Catra didn’t have to go too far away to find a quiet place to have their conversation. Once in the palace’s gardens – where Shadow Weaver used to be most of her time in Bright Moon – Catra decided it was time to start talking. Those kinds of conversations were always a big challenge for her, but she was trying to get better at it.

“Look, Hordak. I… I’m sorry, okay?” She started. “For lying about Entrapta and sending her to Beast Island. And for all the… shitty things I did. That’s what I wanted to say.”

“I must apologize too.”

“Wha–”

“Let me finish.” He interrupted her. His words weren’t harsh, and he seemed like he was struggling a lot to keep going. But as Catra, he was still trying. “As hurt as I was with what you did to Entrapta, I didn’t exactly treat you well. Aware as I am of everything I did, I do not expect you to forgive me. And apology accepted.”

“Oh.” Catra just said. That was far away from what she was expecting. “Yeah. You’re forgiven.”

Surprise on his face, Hordak looked at Catra, unable to keep talking for a few seconds. “I appreciate that. And I hope we can… _get along_ , even if it takes time.”

“Ehm, sure.” Catra was left speechless after that. She didn’t expect Hordak of all people to have developed his communicating-with-people skills to that point. “Actually… can I ask you something?”

“You can.”

“How did you manage to be good at this communication stuff that quickly? It was, huh, really hard for me to say sorry for the first time. And you said it just like that.”

“It was not _just like that_. Learning how to communicate with you Etherians isn’t easy, even less when I’m trying to make up for my… how did Entrapta call them… oh yes, _war crimes_.” He then teared his gaze away from Catra, feeling somehow shy. “But I am working on it. I do want to get better… for Entrapta.”

Catra thought about his words. She could understand him since she felt the same way in the sense of wanting to get better for Adora. Because of the way Hordak said it and how Catra could relate to him it was painfully obvious Hordak had fallen for Entrapta. “I get what you mean. It’s kind of relatable.”

“How so?”

“We’re more or less in the same situation. We’re both trying to make up for our _war crimes_ and learning how to…” _Have a proper and healthy communication between friends_ , according to Perfuma, but Catra refused to say it that way. “… communicate properly. And there’s someone in our lives helping us with it.” Adora’s face came to her mind, and she smiled instantly. “Constantly telling us we’re worth.”

Hordak actually _chuckled_. “Entrapta is indeed constantly reminding me I am not a failure and how valuable I am to her.” He felt his cheeks burning, a sensation he was still getting used to.

“Ow, is the big bad boy Hordak blushing? Never thought I’d see you like that.” Catra teased as she smirked.

“You should watch your–!” He started with a scream, but suddenly started breathing heavily and putting a hand on his throat, next to Entrapta’s crystal. He reminded Catra of herself when she was trying to calm down. “I did not mean to lose my temper like that. I apologize again.”

“I’m actually impressed, you’re getting really good at this. Entrapta’s doing a good job.”

“She is.” Catra noticed a tiny smile was on Hordak’s face. “She always says she is not good with people, but she makes me feel… valued, in a way no one else has.”

“You can say you’re head over heels for her, you know.” Catra said, her tone between friendly and teasing. “It won’t kill you.”

“Head over heels?” Hordak narrowed his eyes, not understanding her.

“Ah. I often forget you’re not very used to our expressions.” Catra scratched one of her cheeks, trying to find the right words to explain it. “When you’re head over heels for someone, you… ehm… like them in a very… _intense_ way. Like more than just a friend.” _Did Hordak even have friends before Entrapta?_ she thought.

“I think I do understand now. By that logic, you are head over heels for Adora, right?”

“Eh?!” Catra’s face was incredibly red after his comment. Hordak wasn’t teasing, he was just asking a question to solve his doubt. “… You could say that. But don’t tell anyone I said it.”

“As I see it, it is not something to be ashamed of.” That was his way of saying he wasn’t afraid of admitting his feelings for Entrapta, Catra noticed. “But I will not tell anyone if you do not wish so.”

“Thanks.” She was almost a bit jealous – not in a bad way – about him being able to express himself like that. “Did you… tell Entrapta? About, you know, you seeing her that way?”

Hordak took a bit to answer the question. It looked like he was annoyed by it but spoke regardless. “I do not want to put Entrapta in an uncomfortable situation under any circumstance.”

“Why would it be uncomfortable?”

“She does not see me the way I see her.” _He deserves someone better than a failure like me_ he thought to himself.

Catra scoffed. “Come on Hordak, you can think bigger than that. Just tell her, okay? I mean… when you’re ready. And it’s Entrapta we’re talking about, even if her answer is no – which again I really doubt that’s the case, she’ll be chill about it.”

 _Your imperfections are beautiful_ he remembered.

“… It is not as simple as you put it.”

“Yeah, tell me about that. Sentimental stuff can be incredibly frustrating sometimes, but it gets easier when you tell the other person how you feel. I have some experience with that.”

Hordak kept silent for almost a minute, actually considering everything Catra told him. “I will take your words into consideration.”

Catra gave him a knowing and teasing smile. “I never thought we’d have this conversation, you and I. Adora won’t believe it.” Hordak scoffed briefly, not adding anything after that. It was Catra who broke the ice again after a minute of weird silence. “Would you have forgiven me if Entrapta hadn’t… survived?” She said that last words in a whisper.

“The fact that I may had not forgiven you is a possibility I do not discharge. Though fortunately, that has not happened and Entrapta is alive, so I prefer not to think about that scenario.”

“I understand.” Catra nodded, suddenly feeling a bit guilty for bringing up the topic. “Well, that’s all I had to tell you. You can go back to the lab with your Princess.”

“My Princess…?” Hordak’s eyes widened as he felt again the heat in his cheeks. “I like the sound of that.”

Catra laughed at his reaction. “You know, being in good terms with you is better than I thought at first. Thanks for the conversation, I wouldn’t mind hanging out again.”

“I admit it was a pleasant interaction.” Hordak said as they started their way back, Catra to the palace and Hordak to the lab. When they had to part their ways, Catra looked at Hordak with her hands on her hips.

“Hey.” She waited a few seconds before going on. “I’m glad things are going… as smoothly as they can be for you. I really mean it.”

“Thank you.” Hordak smiled just the slightest. “I could say the same to you. It is good to know your attachment to Adora ended up being reciprocated.”

“W-what?”

“According to Entrapta, during the time you spent working with her you seemed worryingly obsessed with Adora, so much it disturbed Scorpia at times. Entrapta deduced she meant something to you, and as many times, she was right.”

“Ugh.” Catra averted her gaze, unable to hide the intense blushing on her face. “How many more times would I have to hear that?” She was tempted to tease Hordak, but she knew he didn’t do it to embarrass her on purpose. “You know, never mind, I have to go. She’s waiting for me. Good luck with Entrapta.”

“… Thank you, and goodbye.”

Adora received Catra with a wide smile, and Entrapta did the same with Hordak. It felt almost unreal that after all they went through, they were getting better, amending their mistakes and little by little finding their own happiness.


End file.
